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This is one looong album though, not easy to get through in one sitting. Or, as I often do with Klaus' albums, listening in bed before falling asleep. This is not to imply that his music will put you to sleep, although it works well for that and no doubt many progheads would have trouble staying awake to this type of music.

Ambient, floating, psychedelic are the best ways to describe this music. A friend once told me that he thought of Schulze's music as totally organic. It grows and evolves so slowly and subtly that you don't realize it has changed until after it has. This is something that will be hard to grasp for many people, as this is very minimalist and slow moving music. But for those of us who have the patience and the ear for it, this is some of the most beautiful, and conversely, disturbing music there is. The cello of Wolfgang Tiepold really makes this album for me. Combined with Klaus' floating and draw out melodies, it is just stunning. This is, as I said, music that grows and evolves slowly over time, rather than immediate and striking like most prog rock (this can't be called rock by any stretch if you ask me, even though it falls under the overarching banner of kraut rock.............though this site thankfully puts it under a more appropriate sub-grenre).

I can't really do a song by song analysis here, because in spite of the fact that the songs are distinct from each other, there is quite a similarity in style so I have trouble recalling specifics about each. However, the first and last tracks of the album (the two longest, on my original CD release version) are the most satisfying to me, containing the most enjoyable cello parts and, in the case of the first track, some great drumming by Grosskopf.

This is, for me, one of two masterpieces by Shultze. Many of his other albums come quite close (Picture Music, Dune, Timewind, In Blue............and I haven't heard even half of his albums), but this one and Mirage are just that bit better and more masterful. If you like Tangerine Dream and the spacier parts of Pink Floyd, you may enjoy this. But remember that it takes patience and probably a certain temperament to appreciate the beauty in this music. Luckily for me, I am somehow able to have both when it comes to this music. 5 stars without a doubt.

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